City of Chico Information Systems Department. Technology Master Plan 2005 to Updated: December 6, Lynn McEnespy, Director

Transcription

1 City of Chico Information Systems Department Technology Master Plan 2005 to 2010 Updated: December 6, 2004 City of Chico Information Systems Department Lynn McEnespy, Director F:\DEPT\CM\Nancy\InfoSystems\Lynn\StrategicPlan05to10new.doc

2 CITY OF CHICO INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT TECHNOLOGY MASTER PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 1 Background... 1 Summary Revisions and Updates Summary Recommendations... 1 INTRODUCTION EXISTING RESOURCES AND EXPENDITURES Information Systems Department Annual Budget, Information Systems Department Staff and Resources Existing Hardware Existing Software Existing Telephone System Wireless Connection Services INFORMATION SYSTEMS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Information Systems Department Internal Policies Hardware Standards Legacy Systems Software Standards Equipment Replacement Policy and Funding INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT SURVEYS Survey of City Departments Survey of Six Northern California Cities FUTURE NEEDS Information Systems Department Staff Resources Wide Area Network Security Assessment and Policies Document Imaging and Records Management Website and E-Government Services Geographic Information System Wireless Communications Services Training Programs Data Exchange Between Systems and Departments Police Department Fire Department RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FIVE-YEAR PERIOD Information Systems Department Technical Support, Personnel And Resources Network Topology, Infrastructure and Bandwidth Website and E-Government Services Geographic Information System (GIS) Document Imaging and Records Management Information Systems Department Disaster Recovery Plan Security Assessment and Security Policy Basic Hardware And Software Standards... 56

3 Intra-Departmental Data Exchange Information Systems Department Administrative Policies and Procedures Equipment Replacement Policy and Funding Wireless Services Information Technology Disaster Recovery Plan Police Department Services COST ESTIMATES TABLES 1: Workstation Configurations for : Network Server Inventory : City of Chico Software Inventory : Six City Comparison Survey : Information Systems Survey of City Departments EXHIBITS A: Wide Area Network Graphic Diagram APPENDICES A: Existing Information Systems Department Administrative Policies And Procedures B: City of Chico Information Systems Department Operating Budget, C: Information Technology Project Implementation Process D: Wireless Communications Services, by Matson and Isom Technology Consulting, 2003 E: Improving Records and Document Management, Report to the City of Chico, California, by e-visory Consulting

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background The City of Chico Information Systems Department Technology Master Plan, 2005 to 2010 updates information in the first Master Plan done for 2004 to The original plan was written as a guide to address City department information technology needs and build on an initial plan that recommended the creation of an Information Systems Department done by Melody Callan and Len Fisk from California State University, Chico. The Information Systems Department was formed in to meet the increasing demand for technology services from City staff and the public. It is important to note that the evolution of technology requires an ongoing commitment of resources to assure that hardware and software are updated and/or replaced as required. In many instances, these updates are not a matter of choice, but are dictated by software vendors. In many instances, these updates create a domino effect wherein new software is imposed (or desired by departments) that requires newer or different hardware, that requires different or additional knowledge from Information Systems Department staff, that requires added annual operating costs and staff time. This technology vortex will continue for the foreseeable future and must be addressed during budget sessions. This five year plan includes: Documenting the existing Information Systems Department operations and services Recommendations for future Information Systems Department staffing and services Requirements for designing, purchasing and implementing new technology Evaluation of existing standards, policies, and procedures Recommendations for existing services and systems Cost estimates where possible Project alternatives The Technology Master Plan is not meant to be a shopping list of hardware and software that is rapidly outdated. It is intended to provide guidelines and recommendations that will allow the City to logically plan and fund technology services needed by employees and people doing business with the City. The demand for information technology services is ever increasing and pressure for the City to respond to the demand for such services is also ever increasing. City Council and departmental support of this plan will be necessary during the budgetary process to continue providing a high quality level of service to the City s constituents and staff. Summary Recommendations The Technology Master Plan has been designed as a roadmap for the City to manage its information technology environment by adopting a middle of the road philosophy. Cutting-edge technology is frequently expensive and fraught with problems requiring large amounts of staff time. The City should not engage in research and development type projects without very careful considerations for staff and budget impacts. Letting systems become obsolete and/or not maintaining software to current versions must also be avoided. Playing catch up is also generally very costly and limits the ability to interact with businesses and agencies using newer versions of software. Enhancements or additions to the City s systems should focus on providing more value and functionality for the City (both internal and external users and managers), not just technology in search of a purpose. The input and participation of all City departments during the budget process is crucial to achieving high quality and up to date technology services. Each department has specific needs that compete for funds

5 and Information Systems Department staff time and must be prioritized within the department as well as City wide to provide a system that can provide the services demanded by City staff and the public. Recommendation: Purchase and use proven technology with good support services. Keep existing systems and services up to date and budget for outside support services if expertise is not available in-house. Investigate the possibility of a technology set aside fund for major projects that will spread costs over several years such as the upgrading of the City Financial System (IFAS). Information Systems Department Technical Support, Personnel and Services The number of City staff and the associated demand for technology and related services is continually increasing. Each new employee has a direct impact on the Information Systems Department as they must be provided with , Internet access, various software packages, network access, computers, telephones, cell phones, pagers, PDA s, etc. Software written by humans is not infallible and problems resulting from updates or installation of new software, or maintaining a new data-base requires resources from the Information Systems staff. The City has added almost 300 people to the computer network system, including hourly and intern staff since December of During this time, one Information Systems Technician has been added. Each new person as well as new computers, new software or other technology services requires additional staff time and expertise. The Information Systems Department has been able to continue to provide high quality, cost effective service because of the continuing commitment to work smarter and use technology to assist in those efforts. These ever increasing demands will require additional Information Systems staff support for workstations, communications, new software and the wide area network in the near future and must be included in the annual budgets. Information Systems Department staffing is directly affected by the addition of other City staff, upgrading existing technology, or new services. Assuming the demand continues, within the fiveyear period, it is anticipated that additional staff as follows will be required to continue to support demands of the City departments and the public: Information Systems Analyst for network administration, assist the Senior Systems Analyst in charge of the Wide Area Network, , back up systems, Internet services, updates and upgrades of network servers and related equipment. Information Systems Analyst for data base administration, assist Senior Analysts in charge of the Financial and Public Safety systems, integrate various data bases between legacy systems and desktop applications including PERMITS and GIS. Two additional Information Systems Technicians to support workstations, phone services, installation of hardware and software, repairs, user assistance and training. In order to facilitate the annual installation of systems being replaced, an hourly technician should be hired until full time staff is approved in the budget. One-half of an Administrative Analyst to assist with the large volume of purchasing requests, preparing Notices Inviting Bids, filing, and related tasks. This position is currently allocated, but not funded due to budgetary constraints. The web site and E-government services will increase in importance and visibility. This business process will likely evolve to where a management level position is allocated the responsibility to oversee the web site. A data base administrator to assist with the Community Development Department PERMITS system, GIS, Tree Manager, HDL, and various other small data base applications that are continually increasing. It must be noted that any acquisition of new systems, major changes or upgrades may require expertise not currently available from the Information Systems Department and must be carefully evaluated during budget planning as these changes may require additional staff, training, and/or outsourcing of services. In particular is software changing and requiring the use of Microsoft servers. Currently, the Information Systems Department staff do not have expertise in this area as Novell Netware is the network operating

6 system used by the City. There are many good reasons for this choice, however many software companies use the path of least resistance and use Microsoft products thus imposing added costs for software and hardware on their customers. Recommendation: Add staffing identified above. New technology or revisions to existing systems that are included in department budgets must also address the impact and ability of the Information System staff to provide support services. Network Topology, Infrastructure and Bandwidth As the City grows and demands for service increase from both staff and the public, the need for higher capacity data transmission (bandwidth) will occur. The existing Wide Area Network that is supported by T-1 communication lines will not be able to accommodate the demand. This will certainly happen should the City implement any type of videoing for conferences or meetings. Wireless services are becoming increasingly available and more cost effective. These services should be considered as an option to a wired network for future services. However, there are still serious security implications with wireless services and careful assessment and protection from intrusion must be included in addition to reliability and service availability when implementing any wireless project. Recommendation: Additional bandwidth should be added when demand exists, however alternatives to provide such service should be evaluated, including wireless or fiber-optic cable, as well as standard telephone line connections. This may be required to accommodate the new phone system. Exploit opportunities to install fiber-optic lines if and when local cable or communications services provide opportunities. The demand for data storage and retrieval is expanding exponentially. Storage area networks and network attached storage devices can provide large amounts of space for data and will be needed in the near future, especially if the City proceeds to further expand the Geographic Information System. Hardware technology can provide the physical space for very large amounts of data, but as indicated in the e-visory report, Improving Document and Records Management, Report to the City of Chico, California for a document storage and retrieval system to be successful, file management is critical to keeping good records and a workable system. City staff must learn to purge, consolidate and eliminate duplicate files on an ongoing basis for both paper and electronic files. A full copy of this report is attached as Appendix D. Recommendation: As new projects are proposed and existing services increase demands for storage, include additional storage devices and/or systems in annual budgets. Purchase servers that are scaleable and with storage space adequate for a four to five year period. GIS projects will demand ever increasing amounts of storage space. This will require a reassessment of how data is stored for City departments. Storage area networks (SAN) or network attached storage (NAS) systems will be required to accommodate this ever increasing data base. While storage space is readily obtainable, file management and retrieval is a human process. City staff must diligently purge and delete unnecessary files to manage and organize City files, keep network servers operating at optimum efficiency and to reduce requirements to purchase additional storage space for junk. Website and E-Government Services The City web site is currently utilized primarily to provide information to City staff and the public. At present, the web site is hosted by Computer Logistics and is maintained by City staff using a proprietary software package developed specifically for this purpose by 3 Budgetary practices vary and may or may not include capital items in annual budgets as well as operating costs.

7 Matson & Isom Technology Consulting. As the site evolves and begins to provide more interactive and/or on-line forms, this will be moved in house as the current software is very limited. The City currently has a web site users group that meets with the Information Systems Department staff to review content and processes for the web site. It is recommended that this continue and City department staff be responsible for posting information that is department specific with oversight and assistance from the Information Systems Department staff. The City currently does not accept credit cards for payment and that has precluded implementing any type of on-line transactions. It is recommended that this service be provided in the near future and the City Finance Department is attempting to resolve issues with credit card payments. Developing electronic forms, the required review and approval process, and payment will require participation from each department. Most City forms must be re-designed to be done electronically and will require significant staff time, however the resulting time savings and improved customer service should more than offset the cost. The City website is currently managed by City staff using the Manager Console software developed by Matson and Isom Technology Consulting. The website is hosted by Computer Associates located in Redding. Recommendation: Continue to develop on-line e-government services including the ability to accept credit cards. Begin the process of moving the City web site in-house and purchase the hardware and software in the budget. Recommendation: As the web site evolves with more information and e-government services, this system should be brought in house as the software is very limited and not able to accommodate future needs. Recommendation: If staffing is not increased to meet other demands, funds should be budgeted for outside consulting services to assist in this project. Geographic Information System The Geographic Information System (GIS) currently used by the City is based on the industry standard ESRI Arc View software. Several departments currently use the GIS system for specific purposes, however the most visible use is for City Council maps and displays particularly for the Planning and Public Works Departments. GIS systems are extremely powerful with the ability to track, display and organize data for virtually any City need. However, the data collection, input and updating of these systems require significant staff time or outsourced services. Exporting and importing data from other systems such as the City s IFAS financial system, PERMITS or HTE public safety system is also problematic at this time. GIS systems also require the most advanced technology in terms of workstations and Microsoft servers resulting in added costs. It is recommended that prior to expanding the existing GIS system or adding services or features, budget and staff impacts should be carefully evaluated. Two GIS analyst positions have been created and filled by existing staff with expertise in the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Arc View program. These positions are assigned to the Planning and Public Works Departments as their specific job tasks are for those respective departments. In addition, Police and Fire Department have one staff person responsible for specific departmental tasks requiring the use of the GIS system. New hardware and two servers have been budgeted for this purpose in the budget. Should the demand for information from the GIS system continue to increase, additional staff, hardware and software will be required. Recommendation: Annually review the GIS system and services during the City budget process to determine if it is financially feasible to add to this system or retain outside consultants for specific tasks. Should a GIS system be implemented, determine if it should be incorporated into the Information Systems Department.

8 Financial Management System The City currently uses SunGard Bi-Tech s Integrated Financial and Administrative Solution (IFAS) software to manage the financial, personnel, payroll, asset management and budget information for the City. The Finance Department uses the IFAS system to manage the City s general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, fixed asset inventory and budget information. In addition, the Personnel Department uses the Human Resource Module to process and track employee-specific information. IFAS is also used citywide, by all departments, to access financial and budget information. The software for this system is becoming outdated but due to budget constraints and problems with converting from the current system to a Windows type environment have not been done. At present, the City does not use any Microsoft based servers, therefore the Information Systems Department does not have staff expertise required to support this platform. Since the Financial system is critical to City operation, support services will have to be provided by the vendor or other third party until staff can be added. Recommendation: Budget for a phased implementation of the new IFAS version 7i software and purchase required hardware when funds are budgeted. Funds must also be included for support services for the new Windows server environment. Document Imaging and Records Management The City previously retained the consulting firm of e-visory Consulting in 2002 to do an analysis of the City s document storage and retrieval system, and evaluate the possibility of implementing a document imaging, storage and retrieval system. The resulting report is attached as Appendix D. The report identified some options and costs, however a detailed implementation and funding plan is recommended prior to installing such a system. It also appears that the funding estimates and the impact on the City s existing network will need to be updated and re-evaluated. A phased approach may be possible and reduce the budget impact. As previously indicated, adding major services will have an impact on the City s WAN and Information Systems Department staff. Recommendation: Re-evaluate the e-visory report to update information in the event a document storage and retrieval system is implemented. Clean up existing paper and electronic files to eliminate superfluous items. Information Systems Department Disaster Recovery Planning The City of Chico has an Emergency Plan that is maintained by the Fire Chief. This plan provides information to various City departments on several types of emergencies. The City has retained a consultant, John Dougherty, to update the City Disaster Plan and the Information Systems Department should be included in this plan. Recommendation: Include a formal disaster recovery plan and incorporate appropriate provisions in the master Emergency Plan being developed in Security Assessment and Security Policy Network systems today are under virtually continual attack by unwanted or undesirable elements including viruses, worms, spam, and other types of attacks that have the ability to cause serious disruption of services. The City currently uses several layers of protection against intrusion and s transporting program code. However, employees are currently not prevented from downloading program files from the Internet. Although the practice is prohibited in the City Administrative Policies and Procedures, it is recommended that security measures be put in place to prevent this practice. Information Systems staff keep software maintained and up to date, however it is recommended that an outside security audit be included in a future budget to detect potential threats and provide a risk assessment. This will be more important as the City begins to use credit card transactions for e- government services over the Internet.

9 The City IFAS financial system operating on an HP 9000 is not connected to the Internet or accessible by non-authorized persons. The same is true of the IBM I SERIES s used by public safety. While these systems are quite secure at this time, it is recommended that as more data integration is needed and processes over the Internet increase, the security of these systems must be considered a priority. Recommendation: Conduct a thorough security and intrusion detection assessment prior to implementing on-line financial transactions and make revisions to the systems if needed. Prohibit downloading of executable files on City workstations to minimize virus and other threats to City systems. This should be conducted by an outside third party specializing in network security. Basic Hardware and Software Standards Hardware The basic workstations are generally used by clerical and non-technical staff and generally do not require cutting edge systems, however annual updates to specifications should be done to assure the central processor, disk drive, memory, video, and other components are not outdated. Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and/or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) systems require higher technology for the extensive calculations, video, and storage demands from this type of software. As with the standard workstations, specifications should be updated at least annually. Recommendation: It is recommended the City continue to purchase two standard workstations. One designed to easily run the standard word processing, spreadsheet, and data base software used by the City; and a second designed for GIS and/or CAD use. Network servers should be designed and scaled for specific purposes to allow the most cost effective use of funds. As servers reach the limits of their capacity, an assessment should be made to either replace the server or re-assign systems to less demanding tasks. For example, the large network server located at the Municipal Center will eventually become obsolete as the primary server for the building, however it may be perfectly adequate to replace another system that is also older and more outdated but performing a lower level function. Additional technology services requiring additional servers, particularly those not operating in a Novell Netware environment must be carefully evaluated in terms of capital cost for hardware and software, and added staff resources required to maintain them. Recommendation: Continue to purchase brand name, high quality servers that are scaleable and meet the need of a specific service. The City s Wide Area Network (WAN) equipment is an integral and critical part of the hardware that supports all the technology services offered by the City. A diagram of the entire network is shown in Exhibit A. As service demands increase, this system of phone lines, routers, switches, and hubs will also require new equipment and additional capacity. This equipment is included in the existing equipment replacement fund, however it is anticipated that the WAN will have to expand to accommodate more connections. Funds for this incremental increase will have to be included in future budgets. Service demands should be monitored to determine when additional communications lines, fiber-optic lines, and/or wireless services are required. Since this part of the Information Systems Department is virtually transparent to users (unless it stops working), it is easily forgotten. Recommendation: As demand increases, it is recommended that the cost of updating and expanding this equipment be included in any analysis of service increases. New equipment should be able to accommodate projected expansion for four to five years. Copy machines are currently under the purview of the Information Systems Department and consist of Canon IR 400 and 600 s leased in 1998 for a five-year period. Due to budget concerns this lease was extended for two years. Recommendation: Replace existing copy machines during the fiscal year. Telephone System, Cell Phones, Pagers, FAX s, and PDA s The City is currently replacing the SBC Centrex system currently used by all City offices. A Mitel phone system will be installed during the budget year and could potentially save significant amounts of money. Because Information Systems Department staff will require training to become completely

10 knowledgeable, maintenance and support services from the vendor will be provided for at least three years. Cell phones and pagers have become indispensable tools and can save significant time by providing quick, convenient access to staff not at their desks. These services are provided by several vendors, and selection of a service is based on the coverage characteristics needed by the individual. At present, the Information Systems Department has an inventory of all cell phones and pagers, however it is very simple for departments to purchase units without the requisite approval. Recommendation: It is recommended that an annual audit be done of all cell phones and related billings to assure correct accountability and control cost by obtaining the most cost effective plans. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA s) are becoming common in the workplace along with demands to connect to workstations. The City has purchased several Compaq IPAQ s for various departments. Since these are actually small computers in their own right, it will be imperative that a single standard be maintained to reduce the support required for more programs and operating systems. PDA s and the new tablet computers could allow City staff in the field to perform tasks without making trips into offices potentially saving staff time. As this technology becomes more readily available and cheaper, it is recommended that an assessment be done particularly for field personnel to determine if this is a cost effective measure that improves productivity and customer service. Several of the new phones, pagers, and other portable devices have the ability to connect to the Internet though various wireless services. While this technology can be very valuable for specific purposes, at this time it can be quite costly and any Internet connection can be a security problem since these units are synchronized with workstations to transfer data and other information. Requests for this type of service should be evaluated carefully by departments and security controls implemented by the Information Systems Department to prevent possible unwanted intrusions and/or downloads. Recommendation: Continue to utilize one standard PDA (currently Compaq IPAQ s). Evaluate the use of wireless PDA s by field personnel for various purposes when the opportunity exists. Software Software used by the City can be categorized into legacy systems and desktop applications. Legacy systems include the SunGard Bi-Tech IFAS accounting system used by the City Finance Department, the SunGard H.T.E. Public Safety System used by the Police and Fire Departments for dispatching and records, and the Accela Corporation PERMITS system used by the Building Division. While these systems all have limitations and are the most costly, removing them and installing new systems is very cost prohibitive. Data integration will continue to be a problem unless respective companies provide and support interfaces to other programs such as the GIS system. Recommendation: Identify methods to transport data between legacy systems that will save staff time and facilitate processes. Recommendation: Implement E-government services for building permits. SunGard Bi-Tech has released a new version of the IFAS accounting system that provides additional functionality, uses a Windows environment, and greatly improves the ease of use of this system. The new software requires the installation of Microsoft servers and adds a new platform for the Information Systems Department to support. The upgrading of this system will be costly, however the existing system is becoming outdated and will not be supported in the near future. Recommendation: Purchase and implement the new IFAS version 7i as soon as possible with a phased implementation to spread the cost over several years if necessary. The installation of a new platform for this service will require the addition of a Microsoft server expert to the Information Systems Department staff or a maintenance service contract. City desktop applications for workstations primarily use Microsoft Windows NT or 2000 for Workstations as the operating system with a Novell Netware client that provides connectivity to the network. The Information Systems Department is in the process of migrating to Windows 2000 and all new systems are being purchased with this operating system.

11 The City has currently adopted the use of the Corel Office Suite with Word Perfect, Quattro Pro, and Presentations as the official City standard. There is also a need for many people to have the Microsoft Office package consisting primarily of Word, Excel, and Power Point. Since there is a demonstrated need for both packages and passionate loyalty to certain software by employees, it is unlikely that a single standard can be imposed. Recommendation: Continue to allow departments to purchase and use Microsoft Office products in addition to the standard Corel Suite, and continue to install Microsoft Windows 2000 as the desktop operating system. The City standard Novell Netware network operating system is cost effective, functions well, and provides a significant level of protection from viruses, worms, and other unwanted intrusions. The use of open systems such as Linux and Open Office is rapidly evolving. These software packages are initially free of charge, however, programming experts and support services must still be provided. In the future, these systems may be a potential cost savings, but the City must consider the impact of converting the extensive collection of existing documents and operating systems to non-standard systems that may not be compatible with other agencies and businesses when reviewing the inherent costs associated with such a change. Recommendation: At this time, it is recommended Novell Netware continue to be the standard as changing network operating systems would be very disruptive and costly. Other operating systems such as Linux should be considered on an individual basis for specific purposes. The GroupWise system is the City standard and is a very powerful, functional system that also provides calendaring, task management, junk mail handling, and other desirable features. Since this system is compatible with all other major systems, its continued use is recommended. No other e- mail programs should be running on City systems to avoid potential conflicts and virus exploitation. Recommendation: Continue using the GroupWise system exclusively. City departments use a large collection of software packages for specific purposes. This obviously leads to increased demand for support from Information Systems Staff. Software also evolves and adds features and functionality to respond to user requests, however that also generally leads to more complex installation and update requirements. Of particular note are software packages that require a Microsoft network server and operating system, which is problematic for the Information Systems department staff because it potentially conflicts with the current network environment of Novell Netware. Recommendation: It is recommended that any budgetary and interoperability concerns be evaluated prior to implementing any software packages requiring a Microsoft server. The number of software packages should be minimized to enhance reliability and reduce support calls. In accordance with the adopted policy, non-essential and/or non-authorized software loaded on City systems should be removed. Intra-Departmental Data Exchange The City legacy systems, IFAS, H.T.E., PERMITS and the ESRI GIS system are all separate data bases that do not exchange information easily. This requires multiple and redundant data entry on the part of City staff. Custom interfaces, generally done by outside specialists, can be written to allow transporting data between applications, however care must be taken to clearly define what is needed and also how the programming will be maintained. Recommendation: As pressure increases to provide end-to-end tracking, data base management, financial services, and E-government services, it is recommended the City explore methods to integrate the various data bases.

12 Recommendation: The Police Department staff should continue to standardize data input to the H.T.E. system to assure accuracy of reporting, correct the existing data as much as possible, and institute internal policies to assure consistent data entry. Information Systems Department Policies and Procedures The current Administrative Policies and Procedures (AP&P s) were adopted in 2001 and are reasonably comprehensive and current. A copy is attached in Appendix A. The AP&P s provide City employees information regarding the use of City equipment, and Internet services. This information has been distributed to all employees and is given to all new employees when they are hired. Recommendation: It is recommended that the AP&P s be reviewed periodically to assure they are up to date and any new provisions incorporated. At present, there is no cyber-cop enforcement to assure employees comply with the requirements and it should be noted that the ability for anyone to access the Internet and download programs can be problematic. The demand on technical support staff to repair systems that have been corrupted by downloaded software is increasing and is taxing the Information Systems Department staff resources. Recommendation: It is recommended that the ability to download and run executable programs be blocked on workstations to enhance the reliability of the systems. Equipment Replacement Policy and Funding The City currently has an equipment replacement fund for all equipment including computers and related equipment. This does not cover the leased systems for Finance (HP 9000), the Police or Fire Departments (IBM I SERIES s). The amount of funds required is based approximately on an inventory of equipment, the original cost, and the expected life span. In general, replacement of workstations and servers is based on the technology needed, not just age. For example, higher end workstations for CAD or GIS purposes are re-assigned within departments to clerical people using older, slower systems. The slower systems are subsequently surplus as they are no longer useable. While this practice requires additional staff time from Information Systems, it has been a cost effective practice that should be continued. The equipment replacement fund addresses replacing existing equipment at the original purchase price. Circumstances where equipment must be replaced with larger, more expensive units, or where software cost increases are not included in this fund. This must be done as part of the regular City budget process. As a result, major upgrades such as the IFAS system or significant service additions, It is anticipated that the City budget will be seriously affected for the near future by the State legislators attempting to take local revenues from the City General Fund. The City currently has an excellent equipment replacement program for all City equipment including technology items. Recommendation: Continue the current replacement funding and policy, future budgets should identify systems and equipment needing upgrading or replacement that can be funded from nongeneral fund sources, consider establishing a set-aside fund for major technology purchases to reduce the budget impact. Wireless Services Wireless services are currently used by the City Police Department patrol cars, however, this service, CDPD, currently provided by AT&T will be discontinued in the near future. An alternative system is being proposed by AT&T, however, there are limitations and funding remains an issue. The Information Systems Department is currently evaluating alternatives with the Police Department to provide this service in the most cost effective manner.

13 A City wide wireless network may be within the realm of possibility in the near future that may provide the services needed by the Police Department and also provide services to City staff, other public agencies, and potentially the general public. Recommendation: It is recommended the Information Systems Department investigate alternatives and costs to install a wireless system that could be used by City staff, other agencies and/or the public. Recommendation: It is recommended the Police Department and Information Systems Department evaluate systems and develop a detailed plan to provide wireless connectivity to laptops in patrol vehicles including but not limited to the A.T.&T. system, City owned wireless system, including the use of a Citrix based system. Police Department Services The Chico Police Department is currently collaborating with several other local city and county law enforcement agencies in an attempt to improve communications and data exchange between agencies. Cities and counties participating in this effort have approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) authorizing a consulting firm to apply for grant funds and/or lobby legislators to install a wireless communication system that will allow data sharing between multiple law enforcement agencies. The MOU does not make any commitment of City funds. In the event grant funds are obtained, a steering committee and formalized agreement will be required to implement the project. Recommendation: It is recommended the City Police and Information Systems Departments continue to participate in this project and provide input and/or assistance to obtain funding. Should funds be obtained, a formal agreement among participating agencies must be done and approved by the respective governing bodies. Any system implemented should also be able to accommodate services to the Fire Department. Recommendation: It is recommended that issues with the existing H.T.E. system previously evaluated by Matson & Isom Technology Consulting continue to be addressed and improved by the Police Department and Information Systems staff including standardization, validation and clean up of the existing data base to provide better, and more consistent reports. Police Department staff should receive added and continual training on the use of this system to maximize the use of this system. Recommendation: It is recommended that technology to allow field reporting by police officers be continually evaluated and tested including the use of an Internet based or CITRIX server type application. Funds for this system were included in the budget and will be implemented by a consultant. This system should provide faster access to mobile units, and standardize workstations in the Police Department. Information Systems Technology Fee The Information Systems Department is an internal service provided primarily for other City departments. The department costs for personnel, hardware, software, and other related items are allocated based on the number of computers in each department. The demand for newer and additional technology services will continue to increase as will the cost for these services. As California cities including Chico experience serious revenue reductions due to the State deficit, alternative funds will be required if the City is to merely maintain the existing technology environment. New implementations will be significantly delayed or cut due to lack of funds in the existing budget. Recommendation: It is recommended an analysis be done to determine the feasibility and legal requirements to implement a technology fee for services for departments that could legally and logically impose fees for such services. In addition, State and Federal funds may be used for purchasing hardware, software, or other required items and directly allocating staff time and

14 expenses. It may be possible to reduce the amount of City General Funds required by implementing either or both of these recommendations. The Community Development Department PERMITS system serves the building community and should be included in the fees that support this department. This should include hardware and software costs, any outsourced services and Information Services Department staffing.

15 INTRODUCTION The first Technology Master Plan was developed to document the current services provided by the Information Systems Department, consolidate standards and policies into a single document, and identify the technology systems and services needed from 2004 to This update to the Technology Master Plan continues the previous practice of middle of the road technology services for City departments. The plan is not meant to be a shopping list of hardware and software that would be rapidly outdated. It is intended to provide guidelines and recommendations that will allow the City to logically plan and fund technology services needed by employees and people doing business with the City. The demand for information technology services is escalating and pressure for the City to respond to the demand for such services is also increasing. The plan also includes the Information Systems Department s policies and procedures to maintain high quality support services to City departments and their respective public customers. Information Systems Department Mission The Information Systems Department s mission is to provide City departments with technology services to conduct business in the most efficient and effective manner possible and provide convenient, ready access to information needed for business processes for City staff and the general public. To accomplish this mission, the Information Systems Department will provide services and support to City departments including: Feasibility analysis and planning for proposed technology projects Business process evaluation Budget preparation assistance Purchasing of hardware, software, peripherals, etc. Installation and maintenance of computer hardware and software Provide network connectivity to City offices Application and operating system software maintenance and support Telephone, pager and cell phone services Fax and PDA service and support Peripheral installation and repair By implementing recommendations included in this plan, the City can continue to provide high quality services to City staff and the general public, improve current services, and manage information technology expenditures. Some benefits that may be expected include: Organization-wide coordination and support of information technology projects that improve government services. Cost effective investment in information technology systems and services. Improved efficiency and quality of information service delivery. Management of information technology expenditures that enables the City to take advantage of technological efficiencies as they become available while preventing costly obsolescence. Improved access to City information by all citizens, staff, and third party partners. Savings of time for City staff and others. Contain cost by evaluating beta testing or special application scenarios that might require added staff support and/or program costs.

16 EXISTING RESOURCES AND EXPENDITURES Information Systems Department Annual Budget, The annual budget for the City of Chico s Information Systems Department is $1.273 million dollars of which $780,000 is for employee salaries and benefits. A copy of the adopted budget is included in Appendix B. The annual budget for the Information Systems Department includes funding for seven and one-half staff positions, annual software maintenance costs for several systems, lease and maintenance expenses for three large systems, communications costs for the City Wide Area Network, professional and consulting services for special projects, and general office expenses. In addition, funds for hourly services were included to assist in deploying approximately sixty new systems included in the budget. The Information Systems Department is an internal service and the cost is apportioned to other City departments based on the number of computers in the department. In general, this is a fairly equitable and simple method of apportioning costs however it does not take into consideration the public safety departments that are staffed twenty-four hours per day. Service requests are also proportional to the number of staff in each department, not just the number of workstations. Capital items for computers, printers, software, etc. are budgeted separately by each department and funded by the City Council if appropriate. The purchase and installation of software or equipment is done by the Information Systems Department. The capital budget also includes an annual appropriation to replace outdated equipment that is approximately $70,000 for Existing Information Systems Department Staff and Resources The Information Systems Department provides a variety of computer, communications, and other related services to other City departments. Presently, the department has seven and one-half staff members to serve approximately 350 workstations connected to a wide area network with 17 network servers, two IBM I SERIES's, an HP 9000, various peripheral printers, scanners, copiers, cell phones, FAX s, voice mail, laptops, routers, switches, hubs, and personal digital assistants (PDA s), etc. The Information Systems Department provides service and support for all City owned equipment for all City departments and at all City Locations. The Information Systems Department is also responsible for purchasing virtually any equipment associated with computers or communications, installing and maintaining systems, printing and copying, and assisting with various multi-media presentations and training programs. Purchasing is done in accordance with City procedures and varies from obtaining verbal or written quotes, or conducting an extensive Notice Inviting Bids process for projects over $10,000 such as purchasing several computers, servers, or other capital projects. The Information Systems Department current staff is as follows: Information Systems Director Three Senior Information Systems Analysts with one assigned to manage the HP 9000 IFAS system, one to the IBM I SERIES s H.T.E. Public Safety systems, and one assigned to administer the City Wide Area Network. One Information Systems Analyst is responsible for network connectivity (switches and routers), communications services including cell phones, and resolving workstation problems.

17 Two Information Systems Technicians are responsible for resolving workstation problems, installing new systems, printers, and equipment, assisting with software problems, and managing the City web site. Technicians also assist analysts as needed as well as Analysts assisting with other tasks. One-half of an Administrative Secretary position (shared with the City Budget Officer) for purchasing, researching equipment specifications, obtaining quotes, filing, inventory control and reporting, and general office work. The second half of this position is allocated but has not been funded due to budget constraints. This position is currently being re-evaluated to determine if it should be elevated to an Administrative Analyst position. Existing Information Systems Department Services In addition to general knowledge of computers and software, each member of the team has specialized responsibilities that provide computer and data processing services to City departments including: City financial and accounting system, IFAS, operating on an HP 9000 in the City Finance Department. Wide Area Network services (including access to the Internet and ), to all City facilities including Police, six fire stations, Municipal Services, Water Pollution Control Plant, the Municipal Center downtown, the Fire Training Center, and the Police substation in the parking structure downtown. Computer aided dispatching and reporting for the Police and Fire Departments on two IBM I SERIES systems located at the Police Department and Fire Training Center. Design, revise and update the City web site ( and assist other departments with posting information as required. Phones, cell phones, cabling, wireless and communications services. Assisting other departments with training, visual presentations, software use questions, inventory control, purchasing and budgeting, etc. Preparing departmental administrative policies and procedures for computer use including Internet access, , etc. Replacing outdated and old equipment including computers, printers, plotters, network servers, etc. on an annual basis. Installing and updating security services on the City network to detect viruses, etc. that are transmitted from the Internet, , floppy disks, CD-ROM s, etc. Installing, maintaining, and setting all spam blocking software at the system level. Preparing annual department budgets. Information technology planning for all departments and the City as a whole, including communications systems. Business process review and recommendations for departments wanting to evaluate using technology to accomplish specific tasks. Information technology needs analysis and justification as requested by departments. Inventory of hardware and software, phones, pagers, laptops, PDA s and software. Workstations, network servers, and peripheral hardware and software installation, upgrades, maintenance, repairs and technical support. Telephone, cell phone, FAX, voice mail, telecommunications, PDA s, software and hardware repairs, maintenance, and technical support. Provide and coordinate training classes. Special data base updates, modifications (in some instances), including the IFAS, H.T.E., Permits, HDL, Tree Manager, Time Card, etc. Computer system administration, such as backups, security, and VPN s. Needs assessment for capacity planning for network servers and other devices. Continual upgrades, patches, and support of existing software packages. Development and support of the Readerboard in the Council Chambers building. Anti-virus and anti-spam controls.

18 In accordance with City Council policies, the Information Systems Department also provides certain services to the City Council, Boards and Commissions. City Council members are provided with an E- mail address on the City system, access to a computer in the City Council office, and if necessary, a computer is loaned to them for their term of office. The Corel Suite of software (Word Perfect, Quattro Pro, Presentations, and Paradox) is the City standard on all systems used, and under provisions in the licensing agreement, this software can be installed free of charge on City Council members home computers. Council members are also entitled to the use of a City provided cell phone, or a $50 monthly stipend for use of personal cell phones for City business. An increasingly important part of the Information Systems Department is the City web site. This service is relied on by staff and the general public and is becoming indispensable for posting minutes and agendas. The site is continually being enhanced to provide more convenient access, additional information, and more features for the general public. E-government features will be added in the near future that will allow certain City processes to be completed and paid for on-line. The City web site is located at and is hosted by Computer Associates in Redding. Updating, posting information including agendas and minutes is done by City staff using custom software, Manager Console, written by Matson & Isom. The Information Systems Department annually purchases hardware, software, phones, and any related computer items for all City departments including replacing computers and printers that are no longer useable. Purchasing decisions regarding replacements are based on technology needs, not simply age of equipment. Computers that are determined to be unusable for City purposes, but still operational, are offered to schools and local agencies in accordance with a policy approved by the City Council. The City Municipal Building, Police Department, six Fire Stations, Water Pollution Control Plant, Municipal Services Center, Fire Training Center, and the downtown parking structure are all connected via a wide area network (WAN) that allows sharing of data, printers, , Internet services, etc. This system was designed to allow access to all servers from a single point to facilitate updates, software additions, etc. As the City grows, this system will become increasingly complex and the demand for more and faster connections will increase. Communications technology is rapidly evolving and the City uses several communications services including ISDN and analog phones, voice mail, wireless connections for Police patrol vehicles (frame relay), DSL lines for Internet service, T-1 lines for WAN connectivity, cell phones, pagers, PDA s (Compaq IPAQ s), and satellite phones. It is anticipated that phone and computer services will become increasingly integrated, and network connection services for field personnel will be demanded. Communication services currently include: Voice Mail Phones, ISDN, analog, cell phones on three systems, pagers, satellite phone, wireless connection for Police Department laptops, circuits for sewer lift stations, emergency ring down circuits, fire station tone-out, etc. DSL lines for Internet connections. T-1 lines between Municipal Center, Police and Fire Departments, Fire Stations, Municipal Services Center, and Water Pollution Control Plant for the WAN. ISDN connection to the Police sub-station at the parking garage downtown. Frame relay for communications to Police patrol vehicle laptops. Network computer and printer cabling. Wireless connection at the Municipal Services Center garage. Wireless connection services for the Police Department patrol cars. The public safety systems must be operational virtually 100% of the time and currently consists of two IBM i series with one being the primary system, the second being a back-up. The back-up system is used when the primary system is being updated or repaired. The software used for Police and Fire reporting

19 and statistics is from SunGard HTE, Inc. with multiple modules for specific purposes as shown below. Police and Fire also have a large number of workstations connected to the WAN to access this system with a variety of software packages. Recently, computers were also installed in the sub-station located in the downtown parking structure to facilitate officer reporting. A second sub-station with a computer is located in the Fire Station at Wildwood and Manzanita Avenues. The Police BINTF north unit also has a separate system for their use. All of the six City fire stations are equipped with computers that have connections to the IBM I SERIES system for dispatch purposes as well as , Internet connection, and standard City software. The HTE software operating on the AS-400 s also serves the Fire Department reporting requirements. The California Division of Forestry Fire Stations located in Chico and Oroville also have the ability to receive and print messages from the City of Chico dispatch center at the Police Department. Public safety services currently include: HTE system Barcode, Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Crime Records management (incidents, property, warrants, etc), Cognos, Qrep, CK Crackdown, E-911, Fire Management, CAD redundancy, SCA (laptop connections in patrol cars), NCIC interface. California Law Enforcement Technology System (CLETS) connection to Department of Justice. Cal Gang program. Program Temporary Fixes for I SERIES s as required by IBM to keep systems up to date. Updates and revised reports for HTE installed on a regular basis. Statistics and data from I SERIES for various required reports for the Police Chief, City Council, public information, state and federal reports, etc. Fiber optic connection to back-up I SERIES at Fire Training Center installed and maintained. Connect City HTE system to Butte County system in Oroville and CDF stations in Chico for print outs as part of the automatic aid agreement. Communications line for CLETS (California Law Enforcement Technical System) connection. On-line crime-report on web site. Assist in evaluating work and data processes for PD to improve report accuracy and make data input simpler. Bar code system for evidence. Connection to Enloe hospital and First Responder ambulance services that allows them to receive dispatch notices for accidents, etc. Computers for the Emergency Operations Center. These systems are currently available immediately in the event of an emergency. IBM Client Access software for telnet connections to the I SERIES s. RPG and CL programming for required reports. Multi-user environment with multiple accesses at the same time. Support and maintenance of the I SERIES integrated relational data bases with millions of records. Services from the Information Systems Department are required by Police and Fire twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year. The Community Development Department (CDD) includes the City Building Division that uses the PERMITS system from the Accela Corp. to track and issue building permits and related information. This system operates on a separate network server that is part of the City WAN. The Information Systems Department recently completed a major upgrade to this software to use the Microsoft Windows operating system. The data base is backed up on a regular basis, and scripts are written for custom reports. Information Systems staff install updates and correct problems with this software for the Building Department. The Planning Division is also included in the Community Development Department and uses ESRI Arc View software and database to prepare maps and related Geographic Information System (GIS) type information.

20 The Parks Department maintains a tree inventory with Tree Manager software that requires updating and/or repair on a frequent basis. Field personnel have attempted to use a tablet computer for data input, however this was not entirely successful as the computer was not reliable. Engineering applications generally require high-end systems capable of processing Computer Aided Design (CAD) and GIS software including AutoCad 14 and 2002, plus added plug-ins from Softdesk, etc. installed and customized for users. Public Works also uses several special applications such as T- Model traffic model, project tracking, specialized Microsoft Access data bases including maintenance districts, traffic counting programs, GIS, etc. The City Finance Department uses an HP 9000 UNIX system with the Informix-based Integrated Fund Accounting System (IFAS). This system processes all the billings, tracks personnel information and payrolls, keeps a fixed asset inventory, processes all required state and federal reports including Internal Revenue tax information and audits. Some of the specific functions and services are: Payroll processing and reporting. Issuing and printing checks. IFAS, updates from Bi-Tech and resulting required repairs to custom reports requested by Finance. Informix data base maintenance and reporting. Reflections software for telnet connection to IFAS. Openlink software for IFAS. Click Drag and Drill (CDD) reports for budget and financial purposes. Custom reports for City purposes (extensive maintenance). 4GL programming. Budget Item Detail input for annual budget process. Payroll and calculations supporting union agreements with varying requirements, special processing for unusual circumstances such as unusual payroll periods or negotiations are frequently required. Business penalty notices. Business and dog license renewal notices. CDD report for employee months of service. Macro/overlay to print logo on business licenses, dog licenses, etc. Electronic Funds Transfer. Position Budgeting (Personnel). Internal Revenue Service forms, reports, 1099 s, W-2-s etc. HDL property reports on CD s to update assessors and other information used by City staff. Time Card and interface with IFAS. Repairing corrupted data base s for the General Ledger. Time Card to Payroll interface to put time card information into IFAS payroll. Reports to extract information for various purposes, custom programming required. PERS calculations and required reports. Fund balance reporting for budgets. Fund summary reports for various fiscal years and budget categories. Create budgeting reports. Payroll charges to various funds/departments, capital projects, etc. Integrated processes and accounting including General Ledger, Job Ledger, Payroll, License and Permits, Accounts receivable, Accounts payable, Encumbrances, Fixed Assets, Budgeting, and Human Resources. Posting and reporting General Ledger and Job Ledger. License and permits integration with general ledger including tracking information, payments, printing notices/permits and posting to general ledger. The IFAS data base has millions of records that are necessary to meet various requirements for governmental agencies. Various programming languages to access IFAS data for reports, calculations, updates, etc.